Ability Index (Darey)
Nerve Corrosion: A Special Ability that forcefully ceases all voluntary action carried out throughout the target's body through the brain. Using the sound generated by Darey snapping his fingers, and amplifying the vibrations, it forcefully severs the brain's communication with the auxiliary nerves and ultimately the entire bodily functions cease, overloading the brain with information it can't process and within a period of five minutes, the living being will die.
YEAR: 2161
LOCATION: Study Hall, Beginner Region, Secondary Academic Grounds, Orion Inner Zone.
"Welcome to the Grand hall of Knowledge" was boldly written on the walls above him, as he entered the gigantic structure. Darey looked around him, there were fewer people than he thought would be present. He avoided using his RANGE SEARCH ability, because it was strictly forbidden to use Abilities in the building he was currently in. That's right, currently, Darey was in the LIBRARY.
Library would be a crude way to put it. He was in the 'Study Hall' would be more precise. Orion academy has a huge amount of students, especially at the Beginner Stage. While it is still possible to use the classroom system, it's considered inefficient. In Orion Academy, general classes are hardly held, and even when they are, they can be livestreamed. This allowed the students free time, and freedom to spend it however they wished.
Plenty educational reforms have occurred through the centuries, since the old school classroom system was abolished. After the Rip, a new academic system was established, which allowed students to virtualize all their classes and examinations, as well as their graduation. In essence, you don't have to enter a school in order to attend one.
As if that isn't enough, all students are permitted to study and school at their own pace, some spending 5 years in high school, and while spending as low as 2 years, or less. It all depends on your speed and academic prowess. Orion Academy employs this system, but in a looser fashion. Unlike regular schools, where classes are conducted very frequently, Classes are rarely conducted at Orion.
All academic and non-academic information a student could ever need are found in the Orion's very updated and extensive library. Since it has a virtual version, one doesn't need to leave their room to study, however, some still prefer to use the Study Hall, which is where Darey is currently in.
There is only one study hall in each division of the secondary campus, and so it is the second largest building in the Beginners' Region. It can contain 20,000 students, and more. Which is the total amount of the Beginners on campus and in the dorms. The equipment and virtual systems in the hall are out of this world and entirely up to date, containing the most current information accessible by the public.
The only downside is that it is wasted on the Beginners, or so everyone thinks. This because they hardly use the study hall, except the really studious ones. Most Beginners don't even care about their education and will intentionally prolong their stay at the Secondary Level, since it only gets harder as you go up.
Darey finished looking around the Ground Floor, and then took the transporter by his left. As he stepped within the transparent cubicle pod, it instantly beamed him to the 6th floor. The ground floor consist of several hundred transporter cubicle pods which teleport anyone who steps within to the destination imputed within them. The 6th floor is the International Information center, one of the most sophisticated of all the floors, and the one Darey took most interest in at the moment.
While it's true that Darey was knowledgeable in diverse areas, especially in Abilities and future events, he was still lacking in information concerning the present. He had done as much research as he could, but the access to information he had back home was far inferior compared to what he had before him. Since he needed more information, as well as to scout potential allies, the Study Hall would be his obvious first destination.
He picked a seat and set up his virtual computer. Within a second, everything appeared before him. He crossed his fingers and cracked them... Time for research.
About an hour into his intense research, it finally happened. A student slowly approached him, and within a few moments, the person was right behind him.
"Um...Uh..." The person managed to let out nervously.
Darey smiled, this was his queue. He turned to face the stranger behind him, and saw a shy looking boy, short in height, more timid in appearance than Tenny, and had a slight feminine figure, with a beautiful and innocent face. His hair was light brown, eyes were brown as well, and his lips were quivering on his Caucasian skin.
"Yes, do you need something?" Darey asked.
"Um, yes. Uh... Uhm..." The boy kept hesitating. He suddenly shut his eyes and stretched out his right hand in a handshake fashion, while raising his trembling voice, to declare as firmly as he could
"W-Will you b-be my F-Friend?"
Darey maintained a calm and expressionless demeanor, though he was a bit taken aback, but that didn't matter. He smiled within as he thought to himself...
"This one... Will be useful..."
"C-Can we be f-friends?" The boy said as he shut his eyes tightly while his hands were still being extended to Darey.
Darey smiled, he never imagined that he would hit a jackpot so soon.
"He doesn't seem to have any ill intentions, he appears genuine... And i can tell... He's strong." Darey thought to himself.
"Sure... My name's Darey... What's yours?" Darey smiled as he shook the boy's hands, who was surprised at Darey's warmth.
"O-Oh, I'm Theodore... Um.." The feminine like boy responded.
"Oh! Theo then... That's a lovely name. You don't mind me calling you that do you?" Darey replied him with a warm smile.
The boy's face brightened up as his eyes shone. He blushed a bit as he smiled, clearly pleased with Darey's response.
"No... N-Not at all" He shook his head vigorously.
"O-Oh alright... Just take it easy. Why don't we leave the hall. We might drawing too much attention to ourselves" Darey spoke uncomfortably, looking around him.
"Y-Yeah, You're right... I never even thought about that! Stupid, I'm so stupid!" Theo chided himself.
Darey smiled uncomfortably at Theo's cute display, he was definitely not used to this. However, thanks to their short conversation, he had managed to obtain some information from him using COMPLETE INVESTIGATION. The only problem was... He couldn't find anything.
He had pried at information regarding his Special Ability, but he couldn't get any definite answer. Darey was a bit taken aback. This had never happened to him before, and he knew COMPLETE INVESTIGATION was functional. He was not able to obtain information regarding his Ability, but he found out other things.
It seems Theo was acquainted with the orange colored Australian that bullied him just earlier, and not in a good way. The name of the bully turned out to be Noah Leopold, and he belonged to the cabal of other top Beginners who rule the Region they were in. Theo was a victim at the hands of Noah, and he had suffered countless torture from him and his goons.
What made things interesting was that Darey found no record or memory of Theo ever using his Ability within Theo himself, which puzzled him. He had many theories as regards the matter, but he decided not to conclude things yet, at least without further information.
It seemed Theo was moved by how Darey stood up to Noah, and so took an interest in him. Since he didn't have any friends, he thought he could start by making one. This was however, not the only factor. As a shy and weak willed person, he could never muster the courage to talk to anyone, at least on equal terms, but he could finally talk to Darey, even though it was still shaky. There was one major reason for this... Theo was the previous Last placed Beginner before Darey.
Theo found a lot of similar factors about the both of them. As someone who loved information, he was up-to-date on the recent happenings of Orion Academy, and so while it might not have reached some students yet, he knew Darey just joined Orion, as a last place for that matter.
He studied the details of his Placement exam records, which are usually available to all academy students. Some students' Placement Exams records are made unavailable, however, due to special reasons. He found out Darey did not even bother taking his exams, and chose last place after reading the rules, from that moment on he felt a bond, since he did the same.
Then there was the confrontation with Noah, which was also Theo's exact experience. He remembered thinking to himself "It's like we're the same."
However, what Darey did threw that notion away from him. Darey stood up to the bully, something he had never done. That was when Theo realized it... That Darey's aura of confidence, his personality… He wanted it. Even if Darey currently had the title of the worst scum of the Secondary School, he knew that he was still the one who deserved it.
"If I can be friends with him... If I can be like him... Maybe I won't be scum anymore..." Theo thought to himself.
"Well then, you ready? Let's leave..." Darey said, waking Theo from his thoughts.
"O-Oh... Yes!" Theo said hesitantly as they both headed for the Transporters, which took them to the ground floor and they exited the big building.
"So, what now?" Darey asked Theo, smiling.
"O-Oh, I don't know, I didn't think I'd even make it this far." Theo said, a bit embarrassed.
Darey smiled as he let out a small laugh.
"W-What's so funny?" Theo said, protesting a bit.
"Nothing... You're just very cute is all." Darey said, making Theo's entire face turn red.
"WWWWWWW-What are yyyyyy-you saying?" Theo raised his hands up and flapped them, while his entire face was steaming red as he blushed.
"Hahaha, It's a compliment, don't sweat over it." Darey said smiling calmly.
"O-Oh okay..." Theo said, calming down, but still blushing a bit.
"Oh, I know, why don't you take me on a tour around the campus?" Darey suggested.
Theo's face brightened up again as he smiled happily.
"Really? It'll take a while though." Theo said as he raised his eyes expectantly.
"I-I don't mind" Darey said smiling awkwardly.
"T-Then let us begin!" Theo stated excitedly.
"Aye Aye. I'll follow your lead!" Darey said in a mock salute.
This made the both of them laugh heartily as they left where they stood and began exploring the campus.
TO BE CONTINUED...